Manu Chao apoya el movimiento en contra la política Minera-energética en Cali

"Que viva la lucha de las comunidades negras!!. Queremos traer a la memoria a todos nuestros hermanos y hermanas que han muerto en esta lucha, a las comunidades afrocolombianas que hoy están siendo desplazadas de sus territorios, por las comunidades indígenas que hoy están siendo destruidas, queremos exigirle al gobierno colombiano que respete nuestros derechos, queremos decirle a las multinacionales fuera de nuestro territorio, por la vida de Colombia, queremos decirle a Manu Chao que gracias por luchar por América, Nuestra América, Nuestra Tierra, estamos aquí defendiendo los derechos del pueblo, los derechos de los estudiantes, los derechos de las mujeres, los derechos de los jóvenes, no queremos más explotación minera en nuestro territorio, no queremos la represa del Quimbo, fuera Emgesa de nuestro territorio, fuera Anglo Gold Ashanti de nuestro territorio, fuera Tratado de Libre Comercio de nuestro país, que viva la resistencia día a día en nuestro territorio, porque somos una nación que tenemos un corazón y que luchamos por nuestros derechos, ¡que viva el pueblo!, ¡que viva Colombia!, ¡que viva América!, ¡que viva la lucha!, ¡que vivan todos!"

Concierto Manu Chao, Cali, Colombia, 2012

Urgent Action Alert 12 April 2010 ---News of a massacre in the Mining Zone, Municipality of Suarez, the Department of Cauca, Colombia

Urgent Action Alert 12 April 2010 ---News of a massacre in the Mining Zone, Municipality of Suarez, the Department of Cauca, Colombia

Please Call Your Representatives and the State Department Immediately to Help Protect Afro-descendants, Indigenous Communities and Peasant Farmers in Colombia!

NASGACC has received reports that on 8 of April of 2010 Eight miners were assassinated by armed men who were transported in two vehicles and one motorcycle, the facts happened in the municipality of Suárez, in the department of the Cauca, in the south of Colombia.

We are outraged and deeply saddened by the news of this new and utterly senseless violation of the fundamental human rights of the victims. Wanton acts of violence of this type have become all too familiar in this, and other parts of Colombia and have been occurring at precisely the moment that the government of the country is trumpeting their success in providing security throughout the country. This incident in Cauca underscores the clear complaints of Afro-Colombian, indigenous and peasant communities that President Alvaro Uribe's pronouncements of calm and security have been, and remain, elaborate facades intended to obscure significant failures in protecting the most vulnerable in the population.

Communities that continue to live under further threats of violence include municipalities of the North of Cauca, in particular in the municipalities of Suarez, Morales and Buenos Aires. Community residents in these areas, along with non-governmental organizations (ngo's) including the Process of Black Communities (PCN), the Association of Indigenous Town Halls of the North of Cauca, and the Association for Investigation and Social Action, have previously issued urgent requests to the government to address the continuous threats and the intimidations that have been a consistent element of the lives of the residents of the area. Neither the government, nor international human rights organizations responded to the requests issued by the communities and these supporting organizations. It is clear that, in spite of the extraordinary efforts and continuous appeals from local Afro-descendant organizations, farmers, indigenous groups, and human rights organizations, the atrocities continue today.

As a result of government indifference, the residents of these zones report that attacks against them are carried out with full impunity and in full view of the, ostensibly, responsible state authorities, including numerous military and police contingents.

This situation must end immediately!!!


What you should do IMMEDIATELY - contact:

Your Representative in his/her district office and express your deeply held concerns that this has taken place and that you want them to contact either the State Department, or the U.S. Embassy in Bogota to express their outrage and dissatisfaction with the manner in which the Colombian government has responded to this incident. Urge them to contact the Colombian authorities and demand that they take quick and decisive action to protect the remaining inhabitants, as well as investigate the massacre and bring those responsible to justice.

Please let us know of the responses you receive.

Also, once you have reached your representatives in their district offices, please also contact:

Steve Moody, Foreign Affairs Officer - Human Rights and Labor, Asia and Western Hemisphere Affairs, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Tel: 202.647.8301)

Susan Sanford, Colombia Desk Officer, Andean Affairs, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (Tel: 202-647-3142)

Ask that they take immediate action and contact their Colombian government counterparts to express their deep concern for the safety of the Afro-Colombian population, and utter dissatisfaction with the inaction and failure to protect these communities despite warnings of imminent risk. Ask that they call on Colombian government to take immediate action to remedy these situations and to protect the remaining inhabitants, as well as investigate the massacre and bring those responsible to justice. Ask that they inform you on the progress of their communications.

Finally:

Write/email/call your local media (print and broadcast) and ask that they do more to cover human rights abuses in Colombia. Do the same with the more prominent (national) media outlets especially the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN and others. Ask that they give more space to cover the gross human rights abuses that are occurring in Colombia in Afro-Colombian, indigenous and peasant communities.

Please remember to distribute this advisory to your friends and colleagues and ask that they also join the fight and take the recommended action.

Be sure to let us know about any responses you receive, positive or negative
For Further Information Reply to: afro_colombians@afrocolombians.com


For more information on this issue go to: http://www.semana.com/noticias-problemas-sociales/oro-violencia-muerte-suarez-cauca/137346.aspx


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Afro-Colombian News
Rising Awareness on Afro-Colombian Grassroots Communities Struggle
http://www.afrocolombians.com/Afro-Colombian%20News/Main%20Page.html

AFRODES USA Strongly Condemns Armed Groups' Violations of Afro-Colombian Rights and International Humanitarian Law Violations in Timbiquí (Cauca)

AFRODES USA issued a statement condemning the indiscriminate use of force by guerrilla groups and Colombian army that put in risk the Afro-Colombian civilians in the urban zone of Timbiquí, in the Department of Cauca. In the statement AFRODES USA remind "all of the parties to the internal armed conflict that these actions violate international humanitarian law" ruled by the Geneva Conventions, to which Colombia is subscribed, and also to the Colombian armed forces that "they are obliged to protect the rights of Afro-Colombian civilians living in this area".

AFRODES USA is concern that military bases in the community centers where the civilian populations is setled, as is the case in Timbiqui, is a violation of Condition F, the human rights condition pertaining to Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities of the foreign appropriations act of the United States.

Read more http://www.afrocolombians.com/pdfs/TimbiquiAlert.pdf

Update on La Toma / Actualizacion Sobre La Toma

(En español abajo)

Dear Friends and Advocates,

Thank you for your active response in solidarity with the Afro-Colombian grassroots Communities of La Toma. The eviction has been delayed. The community is in state of alert, and the Community Council will remain in Assemble until August 19 when they expect to meet with high rank authorities to discuss the situation.

So far, there has been no response from the Colombian authorities to the situation. As the Colombian government disregard the call of grassroots leaders, the international pressure is imperative to open Colombian authorities' ears to the La Toma situation. Please stay alert, we will keep you posted on further actions.

To get a close up of the situation from a on-site source, please listen to the interview (in Spanish) to the Community Council leader Armando Vargas Balanta, made by Radio Diaspora (Georgia), on Saturday, August 7th, at www.lacccenter.org

Stay Alert.

Thank you for your solidarity.

Afro-Colombian News
Rising Awareness on Afro-Colombian Grassroots Communities Struggle
http://www.afrocolombians.com/Afro-Colombian%20News/Main%20Page.html
_____

Apreciados Amigos y Compañeros,

Gracias por su activa respuesta en solidaridad con la Comunidad Afrocolombiana de La Toma. El desalojo esta aplazado por el momento. La comunidad permanece en estado de alerta y el Consejo Comunitario permanece en asamblea permanente hasta el 19 de Agosto cuando la comunidad espera reunirse con las autoridades nacionales para discutir la situacion.

Hasta el momento, las autoridades colombianas no han rspondido a la situacion de La Toma. Dado que el gobierno colombiano no presta mayor atencion al llamado de los lideres comunitarios, la presion internacional se hace imperativa, para abrir los oidos del gobierno colombiano ante la situacion de la Toma. Por favor mantengase alerta, les mantendremos informados sobre futuras acciones.

Para tener un acercamiento de primera mano a la situacion, por favor escuchen la entrevista en Español, al lider del Consejo Comunitario, Armadno Vargas Balanta (desde Georgia, US), el Sabado 7 de Agosto, en www.lacccenter.org

Permanezca alerta.

Gracias por su Solidaridad.

--
Afro-Colombian News
Rising Awareness on Afro-Colombian Grassroots Communities Struggle
http://www.afrocolombians.com/Afro-Colombian%20News/Main%20Page.html

Black Communities protest over prison construction in Valle / Comunidades negras protestan en contra construcción de un cárcel en Valle

COMMUNITY COUNCILS OF SAN ISIDRO & BOCAS DEL PALO
DIGNITY, IDENTITY AND TERRITORY

DAY OF PROTEST
Starting today Tuesday, 30 June 2009
In El GUABAL (San Isidro) municipality of Jamundí

UNTIL THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR & JUSTICE CONTINUES THE PROCESS OF PRIOR CONSULTATION

WHY:

THIS GOVERNMENT DISRESPECTS BLACK COMMUNITIES...

The recognition of the rights of black communities to a prior consultation with respect to the construction and operation of a medium to maximum security prison in Jamundí is being violated.

WITH THIS GOVERNMENT EVERYTHING IS DONE BADLY

After ignoring the existence of black communities on ancestral lands of San Isidro and Bocas del Palo, the community councils were forced to seek legal measures and on multiple times blockading the road leading to the premises of the prison so that demands would be heard. Finally they were able to bring together the conditions for a prior consultation that was held on April 2. The meeting was held where the community introduced the protocols for the Community Welfare Plan intended to mitigate, compensate, correct and prevent the identified impacts, reaching several agreements:

1. There will be a meeting held with INPEC to know; the safety measures that are planned to be implemented outside of the prison complex, how visitations with inmates will occur, and to establish the measuring of these impacts on the community and reparations.
2. The community councils will send cards outlining the Community Welfare Plan, which was agreed upon that the government would finance the reparations of the 36 impacts (cultural, environmental, social and economic) that were identified in the community process.
3. The government, headed by the Department of Infrastructure within the Ministry of Interior and Justice will send a response to the requests from the community councils prior to the second meeting agreed upon for the first week of May.

BUT THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUESTO DISRESPECT BLACK COMMUNITIES

It has already been nearly two months since the date that should have been the second meeting. The public functionaries are creating reasons for the unjustifiable, first postponing the meeting until June claiming the delay of the document sent by the community councils as the reason. Regardless, at the end of June we have yet to receive a response to the Community Welfare Plan or the notification for holding the meeting.

THEN ... WITH THIS GOVERNMENT... THINGS HAVE TO BE DONE BADLY

After so much delay for the second meeting and seeing that the construction of the jail is very advanced, the government is forcing us to use new measures so that we can be heard. It is the deplorable that the government creates the habit to only listen to people when they have had enough and claims that we have not kept our agreements, then resorting to mechanisms not of their culture and tradition. And therefore, before assuming responsibility for their delay and wanting to put the blame on the community councils claiming that we are true benefactors when we are really the most affected by this prison that we were never consulted on.

BECAUSE OF THIS REPEATED DISREPECT WE DEMAND OF THE GOVERNMENT:

1. The Ministry of Interior and Justice, to address the Department of Infrastructure to respond immediately to the proposal of the Community Welfare Plan prepared by the community and to cite when will the second meetings for the consultation process occur.
2. To the Consultation Team of the Ministry to assume its responsibility of enforcing the agreements of the meeting of the protocols set on April 2. Demanding that the Ministry of Interior and Justice to accept its responsibility relating to the impacts caused and that will be caused to communities San Isidro and Bocas del Palo.
3. To the Department of Black Community Issues, to function as it was intended to and put forth the maximum effort to enforce the recognition of the rights of black communities, in this case the right to prior consultation.
4. The institutions of the Public Ministry to fulfill its duties to ensure that laws are complied with and ensuring mechanisms for participation of Afro-Colombian communities.

ASK

1. For the national and international entities that defend human rights to be solidarity with our just struggle to not be treated with disrespect in this process and so that with the operating of the jail we do not end up obliterated by the complex dynamics that are created around these institutions, for instance with just the inmates (about 4,000) the population of the communities of San Isidro and Bocas del Palo will double.
2. To social movements in general to support this struggle, and to be in solidarity with our fight for the fair application of our rights as an ethnic group.
3. In general to forward this statement, sending certified copies to:

Attorney General's Office (quejas@procuraduria.gov.c

o),
the Ombudsman's Office (defensoria@defensoria.gov.co, valle@defensoria.gov.co),
JUSTICE AND THE MINISTRY DELINTERIOR (reclamos@mij.gov.co ) FONADE (fonade@fonade.gov.co),
Vice-President (ppdh@presidencia.gov.co)
AND THE PRESIDENCY OF THE REPUBLIC.
ONE NEWS: quetalesto@noticiasuno.com and info@noticiasuno.com

Community Councils of San Isidro and Bocas del Palo

Association Ku-Mahan-PCN

DIGNITY, IDENTITY AND TERRITORY
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONSEJOS COMUNITARIOS DE SAN ISIDRO Y BOCAS DEL PALO
DIGNIDAD, IDENTIDAD Y TERRITORIO

JORNADA DE PROTESTA
INICIADA HOY MARTES 30 DE JUNIO DE 2009
EN LA VEREDA EL GUABAL (SAN ISIDRO) MUNICIPIO DE JAMUNDI

HASTA QUE EL MINISTERIO DEL INTERIOR Y DE JUSTICIA CONTINÚE EL PROCESO DE CONSULTA PREVIA

PORQUE:

ESTE GOBIERNO IRRESPETA A LAS COMUNIDADES NEGRAS…

El reconocimiento de los derechos de las comunidades negras a la Consulta Previa por la construcción y funcionamiento de la cárcel de mediana y máxima seguridad en Jamundí esta siendo vulnerado.


CON ESTE GOBIERNO TODO ES POR LAS MALAS

Después de desconocer la existencia de las comunidades negras en territorios ancestrales de San Isidro y Bocas del Palo, los consejos comunitarios se vieron obligados a interponer recursos legales y a realizar varias tomas de la carretera que conduce a los predios de la cárcel, para ser escuchados en sus exigencias. Finalmente se generaron las condiciones para la Consulta Previa y el 2 de abril se realizó la reunión de protocolización donde la comunidad presentó el Plan de Bienestar Comunitario concebido para mitigar, compensar, corregir y prevenir los impactos identificados, llegando a varios acuerdos:
Se realizaría una reunión con el INPEC para conocer las medidas de seguridad que se piensan implementar al exterior del complejo penitenciario y el tema de las visitas a los/as reclusos/os. Y poder establecer impactos de esas medidas para la vida comunitaria y sus reparaciones.
Los consejos comunitarios enviaríamos las fichas de proyectos del Plan de Bienestar Comunitario, que acordamos debe financiar el gobierno para reparar los 36 impactos (culturales, ambientales, sociales y económicos) que en un proceso comunitario se identificaron.
El gobierno, en cabeza de la Dirección de Infraestructura del Ministerio del Interior y de Justicia enviaría la respuesta de esas peticiones a los consejos comunitarios, previo a la segunda reunión acordada en acta para la primera semana de mayo.


PERO EL GOBIERNO CONTINUA IRRESPETANDO A LAS COMUNIDADES NEGRAS

Ha pasado ya casi dos meses de la fecha en que se debía realizar la segunda reunión y los funcionarios ubicando razones para nada justificadas de demora en la recepción del documento enviado por los consejos comunitarios propusieron realizar esa reunión en el mes de junio. Sin embargo ya a finales de junio no hemos recibido la respuesta al Plan de Bienestar Comunitario ni la notificación para la realización de dicha reunión.


ENTONCES… CON ESTE GOBIERNO… TODO ES POR LAS MALAS

Después de tanta dilación de la segunda reunión y viendo que la construcción de la cárcel va muy avanzada, el gobierno nos está llevando nuevamente a tomar medidas de hecho para ser escuchados. Es el colmo que para el gobierno se vuelva costumbre escuchar al pueblo cuando este ya no aguanta más y siente como nosotros/as que no se cumple con los acuerdos establecidos, teniendo que acudir a mecanismos no propios de su cultura y tradición. Y antes de asumir la responsabilidad de esta demora, quieran endilgar la culpa a los mismos consejos comunitarios que somos los más interesados siendo los más perjudicados con esta cárcel que nunca se nos consultó.

A PARTIR DE ESTE IRRESPETO REITERADO DEL GOBIERNO, EXIGIMOS:

Al Ministerio del Interior y de Justicia, a su dirección de Infraestructura que responda a mayor brevedad a la propuesta del Plan de Bienestar Comunitario elaborado por la comunidad, citando la segunda reunión en el proceso de Consulta Previa.
Al Equipo de Consulta Previa del mismo ministerio que asuma su responsabilidad de hacer cumplir los acuerdos establecidos en la reunión de protocolización del 2 de abril, exigiéndole al Ministerio del Interior y de Justicia que asuma su responsabilidad por los impactos causados y que causará a las comunidades de San Isidro y Bocas del Palo.
A la Dirección de asuntos de comunidades negras, que funciona para lo que esta creada y siendo su máxima de hacer cumplir el reconocimiento de los derechos de las comunidades negras, en este caso al de la Consulta Previa.
A las instituciones del Ministerio Público que cumpla con sus funciones de velar por que las leyes se cumplan y se garanticen los mecanismos de participación de las comunidades afrocolombianas.

SOLICITAMOS

A los organismos de defensa de los derechos humanos nacionales e internacionales que se solidaricen con nuestra justa lucha para no ser tratados con irrespeto en este proceso y para que con el funcionamiento de la cárcel no seamos arrasados por las complejas dinámicas que se generan alrededor de estas instituciones, que además solo con los internos (de aproximadamente 4.000) duplica la población de las comunidades de San Isidro y Bocas del Palo.
A los movimientos sociales en general que se solidaricen y apoyen esta lucha justa por la Comunidades negras protestan en contra construción de un carcel en Valleaplicación de nuestros derechos como grupo étnico.
A todos en genral circulen esta comunicado, compulsando copias a:
PROCURADURÍA GENERAL DE LA NACIÓN (quejas@procuraduria.gov.c

o), LA DEFENSORÍA DEL PUEBLO (defensoria@defensoria.gov.co, valle@defensoria.gov.co) , EL MINISTERIO DELINTERIOR Y JUSTICIA(reclamos@mij.gov.co ), FONADE (fonade@fonade.gov.co), VICEPRESIDENCIA DE LA REPÚBLICA (ppdh@presidencia.gov.co) Y A LA PRESIDENCIA DE LA REPÚBLICA. NOTICIAS UNO: quetalesto@noticiasuno.com y a info@noticiasuno.com

Consejos comunitarios de San Isidro y Bocas del Palo
Asociación Ku-mahaná-PCN
DIGNIDAD, IDENTIDAD Y TERRITORIO